Here is where I used to document my attempts to train for marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons. Now I chase my two toddlers, and occasionally fit in a run around working and sleeping.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Cleaning is not as cool as racing

So, my wild weekend plans of racing and pillow fights with Kara didn't quite pan out. She wasn't feeling well, so we ended up canceling. She does a great job describing the gory details on her blog, so I'll just send you over there if you want more information. While I was disappointed our plans were canceled, I certainly can't complain, since I wasn't the one who spent the weekend hailing the porcelain God.

Luckily, my friend Jackie needed to do a 22 mile run on Saturday morning, so when I found out our trail run was off, I texted her to ask if I could tag along for 15 miles. When she said the run didn't begin until 8am, I thought I hit the jackpot. I got to sleep in until 6:45, which is unheard of for a Saturday morning. It was so unheard of, I couldn't even make it, and got up at 6:30.

She is a super planner and had all sorts of friends jumping in to the run at various points - this person was doing three miles here, another person was meeting us for six miles, I don't know how she ever figured this run out, but somehow she did. One of the friends had a dog. Me running with a dog is sort of like a rabbit running with a coyote, every natural instinct I had was to sprint away, but somehow, I managed to avoid it.

Naturally, the dog had to poop, and, being responsible citizens, the members of our group who had brought him picked it up. Then we were running with a baggie of dog poop.

Clearly, statistics show that I am well within the minority on this. But, I just have to say, I don't get it. When I look at the course of my life, I see two ways it can go.

1. Pick up poop every day. 2. Don't pick up poop every day.

#2 seems like the only logical option to me. Yet, so many people go for # 1. This baffles me.

I turned around at mile 12 to head back to the car on my own, and for some reason, after I left the group, my motivation just totally sucked.

Even with beautiful weather and views like this, I wasn't feeling it

I did get to see what the Pirate Cruise looks like in daytime

Once it was official that Sunday's 10 mile race was off (technically, I could have raced on my own, but that would have meant driving 4 hours round trip, and I just wasn't feeling that), I remembered that the BATC (Baltimore Area Triathlon Club) was starting up their Sunday trail runs again, which are only 2-3 miles from where I live.

I forgot how super hilly these trails are! I ran six miles with another girl in the club. She was an experienced triathlete, so she gave me all sorts of great advice about doing a Half Ironman this spring. She wasn't down with walking the hills, so I was completely exhausted after six miles. Although, truthfully, if we had walked the hills, we would have basically been hiking. It was all hills.

I finished up at home, one again, on my own, and once again, my motivation was lame. What's my problem?

This week, I'm tapering for the Baltimore Marathon. I've always taken the taper portion of my training plans very seriously, so I'm a little nervous about how my legs will feel after running 25 miles the weekend prior, but I'm pretty sure a five day taper is plenty. I'll run three miles a few times this week, but that's it.

To summarize, on the bright side, the apartment is clean, the laundry is done, I have groceries (including supplies for my post marathon baking fest!), I graded my entire class's 21 page tests, my grad assignments are done, my lunch/snacks are made for the week, I made more delicious homemade granola bars, I got plenty of sleep, and I even chopped/prepared all the veggies for vegetable lasagna, my contribution for our annual pre-marathon carb loading party.

The downside: All of those activities sucked and were boring (except grocery shopping, I have a weird love for it) and were a poor substitute for racing and fun with Kara. But they will make this upcoming week much smoother, especially since I have a marathon to prepare for.

To complete the theme for the weekend, we didn't even go to Second City, but that was just because Eric forgot he had plans, so we are going next weekend.

Also, I ran both runs this weekend at a significantly slower/easier pace than I would have if I had been running with Kara (especially Sunday), so I'm hoping that counts as my "taper", as well.

I'm with Kari. The dogs are worth it. They love you unconditionally and, hey, they don't pee on the toilet seat. And yet some people choose to get married and live with MEN. I've yet to meet a man as awesome as my dog :)

I think five days is kind of short for a marathon taper. The guidelines I've seen run something like - 80+mpw ppl taper three weeks, maybe 50+mpw ppl taper two weeks, and lower mileage ppl, um, I dunno what they do, I think they suffer on the marathon. Heh.

But you're an ultrarunner now, so (A) you can do what you want, and (B) long runs & marathons that are not all-out won't affect you as much as regular runners. Go Alyssa! :)